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HEASANTS 




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BY 



S. V. REEVES 

HADDONFIELD, NEW JERSEY 



Copyright. 1916 
All Rights Reserved 



REARING 
PHEASANTS 

IN SMALL 
ENCLOSURES 

The following is intended as 
a guide to those rearing and 
keeping Pheasants in small 
enclosures. There is noth- 
ing herein stated that has 
not been long and success- 
fully practiced by the author. 



'J" 



-BY- 



S. V. REEVES 

HADDONFIELD. NEW JERSEY 

Copyright. 1916 
All Rights Reserved 






'CI.A489331 



MAR 31 1916 



PENS 

LOCATE all pens or yards on the highest 
ground available, so as to facilitate 
proper drainage. 
It is a good plan to provide shade by locat- 
ing the yards, as much as possible, under fruit 
trees. If there are no trees that can be so 
utilized, then plant some kind of running 
vines. 

These pens should be constructed of % inch 
or 1 inch mesh galvanized poultry wire. The 
%-inch mesh wire is preferred, as 1-inch mesh 
will not exclude sparrows. 

Where the grounds are limited in size the 
pens may be 8 x 16 feet, or even smaller. If 
smaller, the proportion indicated will be found 
advantageous. 

In constructing these pens use V^-inch gal- 
vanized iron pipe, all uprights or posts being 
8 feet long. Put them in the ground 2 feet or 
slightly less if desired, but have all of uniform 
height. Use a 12-inch wide base board all 
around the outer enclosure, placing the base 
boards on the outside of the posts. Before 
putting your pipe posts in the ground have 
one end, the upper, threaded for a fitting to 
carry such overhead piping as you may wish 
to employ. At same time as you have the 
threading done have a nail hole drilled through 
the pipe 2 feet 6 inches from the end that is 
put in the ground. This will bring the nail 



hole, when working for a 6-foot headway, 
opposite the center of the base board. Insert 
a wire nail and drive into board and clinch; 
this will keep pipes from settling down in the 
ground when soft from hard rains. 

Should more head room be desired, say 6 
feet 3 inches, this would allow the nail to pass 
through the base board 3 inches from top in- 
stead of in the center. In piping the top avoid 
long spans — have none greater than 4 feet 
without a support, unless you use %-inch pipe. 
With the latter size pipe the spans or unsup- 
ported sections may be as great as 5 or 6 feet. 
Where more than one pen is desired it is best 
to have them joined and have but one outside 
gate or entrance, as this will reduce the 
chances of birds escaping. In this connection, 
all gates should be provided with spiral springs 
to prevent the gates from being left open; 
an extra spring being used on the outside 
gates. Have all outside gates to open out- 
wardly and all inner gates to swing both ways. 
Arrange a 6-inch wide removable board under 
all gates. 

It is believed that all inner gates should be 
in the end of division fence farthest away 
from the shelter coops or houses. 

After all posts and overhead pipings have 
been completed attach the wire netting to the 
top rail or pipe with annealed galvanized stove 
pipe wire. If the pens are to have a 6-foot 
head-way, use 60-inch wide wire, stapling the 
bottom of same to top of base board. 



Dig a trench outside of base board about 
7 inches deep by about 5 inches wide. Take 
four pieces of 1-inch mesh galvanized poultry 
wire 12 inches wide, and in lengths correspond- 
ing to the four dimensions of your pen or pens. 
With a straight edge of some kind form these 
strips of netting to a right angle, having one 
dimension 7 inches and the other 5 inches. 
Staple the edge of the 7-inch way to the out- 
side of base board near bottom of same. This 
will carry the 5-inch way flat in the bottom cf 
trench. Now fill trench and pack with a light 
broad surfaced rammer; or with the feet, as 
may be desired. 

If you do not have gravel or sandy soil it 
will be necessary to procure same, spreading 
it over the natural soil to a depth of about 
two or more inches. Where it becomes neces- 
sary to put in sand and gravel it is advisable 
to put in a liberal coating twice a year — 
spring and fall. 

During severe winter weather, when it is 
wet and cold cover the ground with hay or 
straw two or three times, being governed by 
the character of the weather and its duration. 
Similar provision must be made in late sum- 
mer and fall for young birds — see page 14. 




SHED AND 
PEN 



SHELTER 

All shelter sheds or houses should be quite 
open and located at one end of pen, and this 
should be the end farthest away from the gate 
entrance. 



MATING 

The number of hens that may be kept with 
a cock varies, but for best results the follow- 
ing will be found quite satisfactory. 

Ring Neck, Prince of Wales, Mongolian, 
Versicolor, Reeves, Blue Neck, Lady Amherst 
and Golden each one (1) cock to three (3) 
hens. The following are mated in pairs: Sil- 
ver, Swinhoe and Manchurian. 

EGGS 

In this locality pheasants begin to lay in 
the early part of April. Eggs should be col- 
lected frequently and stood on end in bran. 
Keep them in a dry place and turn about once 
a day. 

Distribute a number of hard artificial eggs 
through your pens at the beginning of the 
laying season — it discourages egg eating. 



FEED IN LAYING SEASON 

Keep plenty of grit, oyster shells and granu- 
lated charcoal constantly before the birds. 
Do not feed corn in any form during the 
months of April, May, June and July. During 
these months feed oats, cabbages, apples, tur- 
nips, beef scraps, ground oats and bran, green 
clover, grass roots, lettuce and other greens. 
Occasionally a little wheat. 

Feed green food of some kind frequently, but 
let it be in the morning as a rule. 

HATCHING 

Buff Cochin Bantams make splendid foster- 
mothers. They will cover from seven to nine 
eggs. Before setting the hen see that she is 
properly fumigated and free from lice. Do 
not put the eggs under the hen until you have 
tested her setting for twenty-four hours on a 
nest egg. 

At the time of setting the hen dust her well 
with lice powder; also sift the powder well 
over the eggs. A separate enclosure is most 
desirable for setting hens. This may be a 
building or a yard, so arranged that the set- 
ting hens are separated, thereby preventing 
two or more hens occupying the same nest. 



The nest should be in a hollow of the ground. 
Take a box or small barrel and cut a hole in 
the side near the top about 6 by 10 inches and 
turn upside down over nest. Six to twelve 
hours before the hatch is due cover this hole 
with a piece of cellar window wire to prevent 
the joung pheasants from escaping. 

During incubation feed mostly v/hole and 
crpcked corn and leep the hens well supplied 
with sand, ground bone and shells; also char- 
coal. 

If the hen sticks well to her nest for the 
first week you may count on the hatch being 
on time or perhaps a little ahead of time. 

However, if she does not, the hatch will be 
a little late. Sometimes the variation from 
true time of incubation will be three or four 
days early or three or four days late. Where 
the hatch is quite uniform do not remove ths 
young birds or hen from nest until about 
thirty hours from the time first one is hatched. 

TIME OF INCUBATION 

Ring Neck, Blue Neck, Lady Amherst, Ver- 
sicolor and some others hatch in 24 days. 
Reeves, Silver Swinhoe and some others, 26 
days. Goldens 21 to 23 days. 

COOPS AND RUNS 

My coops are made of half-inch thick planed 
lumber. Herewith is presented line illustra- 
.tions of various parts of coop and run. 





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No. 1 — Three (3) loose bottom boards for 
coop. These are supported on the cross pieces 
at the bottom of the two sides, see dotted lines 
on No 2. 

No. 2 — This is one side with the inner side 
shown; dimensions, 21 Vi inches high, 21^/4 
inches from front to back and 13 inches high at 
back. 

No. 3— End of run, 21 1/2 inches wide and 14 14 
inches high, with a door llV4,xl4V2 inches. 
This door should be covered with galvanized 
cellar window wire. Use galvanized hinges. 

No. 4 — Front of coop. The four holes in top 
are for ventilating purposes. The dotted lines 
near the top represent approximately top line 
of run when in position, and the dotted lines at 
bottom represent the floor line of run. The 
door, which is 9^/4 inches wide by 11 inches 
high, should be covered with galvanized cellar 
window wire. On either side of this door are 
two openings about 2 x 11 inches for the pas- 
sage of young birds. Provide a suitable stop- 
per for these openings and hold them in posi- 
tion with small iron buttons as shown. Di- 
mensions: 211/4x211/^ inches. Use galvanized 
hinges wherever a hinge is required. 

No. 5 — This is back of coop. It may be one 
or more boards, as desired. Dimensions: 13 
inches from top to bottom, 21 1/^ inches long. 

No. 6 — Roof of coop. The dotted lines show 
about where the roof rests on top of coop. 
The two side boards of roof shown as 7 inches 
wide by 2TV2 inches long are nailed fast to 
top of coop. The board in center shown as 



10 



12 inches wide has a cross piece scant 9 inches 
long on under side nailed across each end, as 
shown, to keep it in place and to keep it from 
warping. This board is loose and covers a 
9-inch opening in top of coop, overlapping the 
7-inch wide boards 1^/^ inches on either side. 
Dimensions: 23 inches wide by 21 V2 inches 
long. 

No. 7 — Bottom board upon which the run 
rests. The under side of this should have two 
cross pieces about 2 inches thick. Dotted lines 
show position of run. Dimensions: 24 inches 
wide by 39 inches long. 

No. 8 — Side of run. Cover these with gal- 
vanized cellar window wire. Dimensions: 14^/4 
inches high by 38 inches long. 

No. 9 — Top of run. Door can be located in 
center or near one end as may be desired. This 
lid or door is made of wood. It is about 8 
inches wide and corresponds in length to full 
width of top. 




Before taking the hen off paint the coop well 
inside with a mixture of cresol and coal oil. 
Have the proportions about half pint cresol to 
one gallon of coal oil. 

It is a good plan to keep young birds in with 
the mother for two to four days — until they 
have become accustom.ed to her call. After 
this the young birds should be let out into the 
run through one or both of the openings at 
side of door. 

Cover bottom of coop and run with clean 
sharp sand, adding a little granulated char- 
coal. 

It is a good plan to provide oil cloth or 
other waterproof covers for these runs, to 
be used during rainy weather and nights. 

Examine the hen and young pheasants at 
least once every week for lice. I use an oint- 
ment, appling same to top of head and vent for 
the first five weeks, or longer if the weather is 
warm. 

FEEDING YOUNG BIRDS 

First 3 days — To 1 egg well beaten add 1 
tablespoon full of milk, cook very slow, form- 
ing a dry custard. Feed often, say six times a 
day, but only as much as they will clean up. 



12 



Next 4 days — Feed as before, but add a 
little dry oatmeal and lettuce cut very fine; 
also bread crumbs. 

Next two weeks — Feed as before, but add 
millet and canary seeds. Four times each day 
will be sufficient. 

At end of 3 wee1^-^-Commence now to feed 
three times each day. Add to above a very 
little meat, ground fine; also a little barley 
meal. Continue for two weeks. 

When 5 weeks old — Feed as above, but in 
much smaller proportions. Add meal, greens, 
mashed potatoes, boiled rice, etc. At night 
feed wheat and oats or barley alternately. 

Drinking Fountains — Use small fountains 
so the young birds can not get in them with 
their feet. Under no circumstances give water 
oftener than twice a day, and never allow the 
water to remain before them after they are 
through drinking. 

CAUTION 

Keep all vessels absolutely clean. 

Remove droppings of hen from coop twice 
daily. 

During spring and summer scrape yards 
once each week. 



13 



Renew sand in coops and runs once each 
week. 

Sprinkle dry air slacked lime over ground 
frequently. 

Keep birds dry — not exposed to dampness 
until at least half grown. 

Keep ground bone, charcoal and various 
kinds of grit constantly before the young birds 
from the day they are taken from the nest. 

Never attempt to rear young pheasants 
without lettuce. Feed it as often and as long 
as you can. 

When the birds are about two months old 
cover the ground in their pens with plenty of 
leaves, straw, hay, etc., and provide plenty of 
roosting poles in the open. 



14 



NAMES OF A FEW WELL KNOWN VARIE- 
TIES OF PHEASANTS AND THEIR 
NATIVE HABITATION 

Mong-olian (P. Mongolicus), Valley of Syr — 
Darya, China. 

Chinese Ring Neck (P. Torquatus), Northern 
and Eastern China. 

Japanese (P. Versicolor), Japan. 

Reeves (P. Reevesii), Mountains of Northern 
and Western China. 

Prince of Wales (P. Principalis), Northwest- 
ern Afghanistan and Northeast Persia. 

Great Argus (A. Giganteus), Malacca and 
Siam, Malay Peninsula, and Southern Ten- 
asserim; also Sumatra. 

Manchurian Eared (Crossoptilon Manchuri- 
cum), North of Pekin, Manchuria. 

Swinhoe Kalij (Gennaeus Swinhoii), Mountains 
of Formosa. 

Lady Amherst (Chrysolophus Amhersitae), 
Western China and Eastern Tibet. 

Silver (Euplocamus Mycthemerus), Interior of 
Southern China. 

Golden (Thaumalea picta), Western Central 
China. 

Monaul or Impeyan (Lophophorus Impey- 
anus), Himalaya Mountains from Afghan- 
istan to Sikhim. 

Elliots (Calophasis Ellioti), Mountains of 
Southern China. 



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